"Fear" in the sense of being afraid of things like scary movies, haunted houses, even being attacked, is a pure emotional response. It's the part of the brain referenced--the amygdala--triggering a fight-or-flight response.

"Fear" in the sense of suffocating is a pure physical response. It's your brain stem telling your body it's dying and to get oxygen right away. The fact that these people experienced the same unpleasurable responses as what is normally CALLED "fear" doesn't mean they were afraid in the same sense that a normal person would be afraid if they saw a scary movie.

Instead of it being, as the researchers think, that "learned fears and innate ones are handled differently" it's just as likely that we're calling similar but unrelated physical and emotional responses by the same term; when in fact they are really unrelated.

The fear of something in my closet with a shiny red light.The fear that some"thing" was under my bed so I'd have to jump three feet off the bed so I could go to the bathroom.The fear of having your pants pulled down at school.The fear of the dark laundry room down at the bottom of the stairs.The fear of the unseen- looking at a bare electrical wire connector and realizing death was just an inch away from my finger.These were real fears that I had. But then I grew up and put on my big boy pants.Now, my fears are saved for the ones I love.

Coco LaFemme:Flying, death, and fire. My fear of flying is so bad, I get nauseous just thinking about flying. If I had to go somewhere and the only way to get there was by airplane, I'd have to be drugged for the entire flight. There's no way I could be conscious, because I'd be that passenger sitting white-knuckled and hyperventilating the whole time, freaking everyone else out. It's completely irrational, and I understand that, but I also don't care.

If you'd like help with the flying, let me know. It crippled me for years, but I do it now. I'm still not at ease, but I have come a long way.

I almost didn't take a new job, would be freaked for weeks and months in fear

I think there is a difference between being "scared" of dying, no money, growing old etc. And the visceral fear of spiders, snakes etc. The first category is probably more "dread" than anything. One of the Weenerss regarding the startle response is interesting. What is fear exactly? Anybody see where im coming from with this?

Willis13:Coco LaFemme: Flying, death, and fire. My fear of flying is so bad, I get nauseous just thinking about flying. If I had to go somewhere and the only way to get there was by airplane, I'd have to be drugged for the entire flight. There's no way I could be conscious, because I'd be that passenger sitting white-knuckled and hyperventilating the whole time, freaking everyone else out. It's completely irrational, and I understand that, but I also don't care.

If you'd like help with the flying, let me know. It crippled me for years, but I do it now. I'm still not at ease, but I have come a long way.

I almost didn't take a new job, would be freaked for weeks and months in fear

Coco LaFemme:Flying, death, and fire. My fear of flying is so bad, I get nauseous just thinking about flying. If I had to go somewhere and the only way to get there was by airplane, I'd have to be drugged for the entire flight. There's no way I could be conscious, because I'd be that passenger sitting white-knuckled and hyperventilating the whole time, freaking everyone else out. It's completely irrational, and I understand that, but I also don't care.

thorthor:I think there is a difference between being "scared" of dying, no money, growing old etc. And the visceral fear of spiders, snakes etc. The first category is probably more "dread" than anything. One of the Weenerss regarding the startle response is interesting. What is fear exactly? Anybody see where im coming from with this?

Yes, indeed. Which is why I also said the "fear" of a scary movie was hardly the same thing as the body's response to being deprived of oxygen. You can be unafraid of dying...but your body is still going to respond if it is suffocated, no matter how mentally prepared for it you may be.

Gyrfalcon:thorthor: I think there is a difference between being "scared" of dying, no money, growing old etc. And the visceral fear of spiders, snakes etc. The first category is probably more "dread" than anything. One of the Weenerss regarding the startle response is interesting. What is fear exactly? Anybody see where im coming from with this?

Yes, indeed. Which is why I also said the "fear" of a scary movie was hardly the same thing as the body's response to being deprived of oxygen. You can be unafraid of dying...but your body is still going to respond if it is suffocated, no matter how mentally prepared for it you may be.

Yes! I am ok with hieghts in an airplane, have done aerobatics and all- no problem, but put me on the top of a ten ft. Ladder and i freeze up. Weird.

/Last time I felt real fear was over 10 years ago when I had convinced myself I was dying, which lasted about half a year. I eventually just got used to the fact that I was dying (even though it turns out I was perfectly healthy), and I've never felt anything close to fear like that since. Not sure if it was worth it though, those were a dark six months.

Gyrfalcon:thorthor: I think there is a difference between being "scared" of dying, no money, growing old etc. And the visceral fear of spiders, snakes etc. The first category is probably more "dread" than anything. One of the Weenerss regarding the startle response is interesting. What is fear exactly? Anybody see where im coming from with this?

Yes, indeed. Which is why I also said the "fear" of a scary movie was hardly the same thing as the body's response to being deprived of oxygen. You can be unafraid of dying...but your body is still going to respond if it is suffocated, no matter how mentally prepared for it you may be.

Actually that's a good point. I haven't been mindfully fearful in a long time, but if you've ever been to high altitude and suffered from periodic breathing, waking up feeling like you're suffocating is a mind fark since you wake with the panic and don't have the presence of mind to handle it initially.

quickdraw:I have a meeting with HR, my union rep and my dept chair on Friday. I haven't been this scared in a long time. Its not so much what Im afraid they'll do as Im afraid I may say what Im really thinking.

Do it. You will never feel better.. I am firmly in your corner. I support you fully.